retrovirus Biol.
(ˈrɛtrəʊvaɪərəs)
[mod.L., f. initial letters of reverse transcriptase (see transcriptase) + -o + virus.]
An RNA virus of the family Retroviridæ, characterized by oncogenicity and the possession of reverse transcriptase. Cf. retravirus.
| [1976 Virology LXXI. 375 Family Retroviridae (RNA tumor virus group formerly genus Leukovirus).] 1977 Nature 8 Sept. 105/2 The successful transfection of a retrovirus by DNA extracted from infected cells was first achieved by Hill and Hillova. 1978 Ibid. 9 Feb. 543/1 There has been increasing interest in the isolation of mammalian retro⁓viruses and their evolutionary relatedness to different species. |
Hence ˈretroviral a.
| 1979 Nature 29 Mar. 420/1 Our results could also be seen as evidence of a marked propensity of retroviral DNA to undergo genetic gymnastics, including deletion. |